1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recycling. More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus for recycling used oil filters to permit the reclaiming of used motor oil, the used oil filter element, and a substantial portion of the filter cover.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The disposal of used motor oil has long been one of the main environmental problems facing the earth's population. Used motor oil contains toxic heavy metals such as lead, chromium and cadmium, and even some dangerous organic chemicals. It is estimated that every year more than 170 million gallons of used oil is improperly disposed of. Because sewage plants are not designed to deal with used motor oil, such oil often passes through storm sewers directly into rivers, wetlands and the ocean, posing a threat to all aquatic life, as well as to the drinking water for all the nation's cities. For these reasons, and because most of the used motor oil comes from disposal of used oil filters from automotive vehicles, there has been an ongoing search for ways to easily reclaim the oil in used oil filters, and to reclaim the metal and used filter elements therefrom.
Applicant is familiar with one pilot recycling program started in the State of California because of government regulations which classify filters as hazardous waste unless a special toxicity characteristic leaching procedure proves otherwise. This pilot program essentially involves gravity draining the filters to remove a large portion of the oil, and then melting down the filters and recasting the metal as reinforcing bar. However, this type of program makes no use of the used filter elements, does not remove enough of the oil before the filters are melted down, and is an expensive process.
Another means of recycling used oil filters simply involves crushing of the filters after the oil is drained. This presents the problem of toxic fumes from the oil left in the filters when further recycling takes place, as does the melting and recasting process previously described. Thus, there remains a need in the art for a clean economical method of recycling used oil filters.
A search of patents at the United States Patent and Trademark Office also revealed no solution to the problem. The following patents were located during such a search, none of which revealed a satisfactory solution to the problem of how to recycle used oil filters:
______________________________________ Patentee U.S. Pat. No. ______________________________________ Morris 4,917,313 Hannigan 4,830,188 Kane 4,827,840 Cerroni 4,314,674 Wright 4,284,514 Reiniger 4,072,273 Sidelinker 3,828,976 Swallert 3,589,276 ______________________________________